Tour de La Provence (st. 2)

Young American first man on the attack for Movistar Team in 2021, crashes -with no consequence- while contesting uphill sprint in Manosque.

/ Today’s route

Three categorized climbs and lots of non-rated ascents into a route as difficult, or even harder, as in the eve’s racing, 174km towards the interior of Provence, from Cassis to Manosque. At the loop around the finish -3km at 3,5%; in practice, two hard slopes and a false flat between them-, riders would find up to four climbs, two of them categorized: Mort d’Imbert (Cat-2) and Montfuron (Cat-3).

/ Weather report

Differently from yesterday, clouds covered the skies, with even some chance of rain, and temperatures on the down, 8 to 12ºC. Things would become significantly harder as showers started to hit the peloton.

/ Keys to the race

• Five riders went on an early move ahead of the peloton, always led by race leader Davide Ballerini’s Deceuninck-Quick Step squad. The escape by Conca (LTS), Grosu (DKO), Cousin (TDE), Bleier (AUB) y Leroux (XRL) was never let go more than three-and-a-half minutes ahead of the main field.

• As rain appeared, things became quite harder for the peloton during the second half of the stage. As Conca left behind his break companions, the DQT-led peloton never allowed that break a chance and caught the last man standing after the top of the Montfuron, 15km before the end. Ballerini would go on to take his second consecutive victory.

• Near the end, the Movistar Team took on a leading role with its first attack of the season, coming from one of its biggest hopefuls: Matteo Jorgenson. The American was one of the most significant factors in the finale, for both good and tough reasons. He went on the attack with about 10km left, together with Florian Vermeersch (LTS); was caught with four kilometers remaining; contested the sprint, coming into the final straight in sixth place; and crashed -apparently, by touching a spectator who was hanging over the barriers-, losing any chance yet fortunately with no injuries.

/ Upcoming goals

The overall result of the 2021 Tour de La Provence should get decided on Saturday at the Queen stage, day three of the event, from Istres to the Chalet Reynard (154km). The final climb, three quarters of the legendary Mont Ventoux ascent (14.6km at 7.6%), will be the first big mountain test of the season.